Focal-plane shutter.



No. 7|4,|o6. Patented' Nfnv'. lagisoz.

J. n. GARFIELD.

rucAL PLANE saunas.

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f ,J l f c E/ V a a l i l l l I Ii. l I I Il. l l I l IIL 'UNirnn STATESPATENT' OFFICE.

.IULIUS D. GARFIELD,l OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OFONE-HALE TO GEORGE BERNARD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

FOCAL-PLANE SHUTTER.V

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 714,106, datedNovember 18, 1902.

I Application iiled March 17, 1902. Serial No. 98,488. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, JULIUs D. GARFIELD, a citizen of the United Statesof America, and a resident of Springiield, in the county of Hampden andState of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Focal-Plane Shutters, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to focal-plane curtain-shutters for cameras, theobject being to provide a shutter of this class in which is comprised asimplified means for varying the Width of the slit in the curtainywhichmeans may be conveniently7 operated from the exterior of the camera andwhich is inexpensive and easily constructed and assembled .and which,moreover, because of the substantial nature of its various componentparts renders it durable and not easily deranged or broken.

The improvement consists in the constructions and relative arrangementsof parts, Which are hereinafter described, and set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a transverse section of a camera-box: withmy improved shutter, but shown partly in full-line elevation and partlybroken out in section. Fig. 2 is a perspective of one edge of thecurtain and various parts to be hereinafter described. Fig. 3 is a viewof a detail of the Windingshaft construction.

In the drawings, A is a camera-body, and a is the rear partition, havingthe exposureopening Zi formed therein. This partition a may be formedwith bearing-pieces c c c c, in Which are mounted for rotation the rollsforming a part of this shutter.

CZ is the spring-roll and is provided With the ordinary paWLand-ratchetdevice c and has secured to it in any suitable manner one portion c of acurtain of a suitable light-excluding fabric. The free end of thiscurtain e is provided With a Wire or Iiatstrap of metal, whichisinsertedin a hem in the usual way and has provided at either end theeyes On the opposite side of the camera from the roll CZ istheWinding-roll q. This roll as a Whole consists in a two-part shaft Zt andh', the end portion of the one being of sleeve form, as indicated at t',and to prevent the rotation of the part h sleeve portion t' is providedWith slits jj, and the shaft-section h near the end that enters suchsleeve-like portion is provided with a pin 7c, Which is adapted to slideendwise in the slitsjj. Near the opposite ends of these shaft-sections hand'h are secured by pins or otherwise the sheaves Z and Z. Sheave Z hasformed on one side thereof a clutch member m, Which is adapted to engagea clutch member n on the ratchet-Wheel 0. This ratchet-Wheel o isconstructed to rotate freely on shaft-section h and has a hub p, towhich is pinned one end portion of the tubular roller q, the other endof which roller is adapted to rotate freely on the hub r of sheave Z.Secured to this roller q is a curtain s, similar to curtain e, beforedescribed, and the stiffening wire or band in this curtain is alsoprovided With eyes t t, and the tWo curtains are united by cords u,Which are secu red to curtain s at t t and pass With running engagementsthrough the opposite eyesff at the end of the curtain e, thence to andaround the Winding-sheaves Z and Z.

Tile operation of setting this curtain-shutter is as follows: By meansof the milled knob o, Which may be pulled out, as shown in dotted lines,the clutch members m and n are separated, and While these parts are inthis condition a rotation of this knob does not Wind up the roller q andits attached curtain; but by means of the single purchase of the cordsrunning through the eyes ff the curtain e is made to approach or retirefrom the curtain s, thus forming a certain Way ofadjnstingtheopeningorslit. Onreleasingknob o the spring w replaces theclutch members, and the knobfv then may serve to Wind up the curtainagainst the spring-roller, and in its wound position, as Well as duringthe operation of setting the pawl x', retains the roller q againstunwinding until released by the knob y of the paWl fr'. The knob o isprovided With graduations or numbers, which serve as an index on theexterior of the camera to indicate the width of the slit.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

l. In a focal-plane shutter for cameras, in

IOO

combination, a spring-roller, and a ivindingroller, each having acurtain Wound thereon, the end portions of both curtains beingapproached, a two-part shaft in said Windingroll, one shaft part beingendWise movable but non rotatable relatively to the other, sheaves faston the end portions of said shaft parts, cords in Winding engagementwith said sheaves, and having running engagement with the end portion ofone curtain, and attachments to the end portion of the other curtain, aclutch member secured to the Winding-roll, and a fellow clutch membercarried on one of said shaft parts and adapted on the endwise movementof such part to disengage the shaft and the sheaves thereon fromconnection With the Winding-roll, for permitting the independentrotational movement of the sheaves for Winding or unwinding the cords toWiden or narrow the slit.

2. In a focal-plane shutter for cameras, in combination, aspring-roller, and a Windingroller, each having a curtain wound thereon,the end portions of both curtains being approached,atWo-part shaftextended centrally through said Winding-roll, the inner end of one shaftpart being formed sleeve-like and longitudinally slotted, and the innerend of the other shaft part telescoping Within the sleeve and having apin engaging in the slot thereof, sheaves fast on the end portions ofsaid shaft parts, cords in winding engagement with said sheaves, andhaving running engagements with the end portion of one curtain andattachments to the end portion of the other curtain, a combined clutchmember and ratchet-Wheel secured to the Win dingroll, and a fellowclutch member carried on one of said shaft parts and adapted on theendWise movement of such part to disengage the shaft and the sheavesthereon from connection with the Winding-roll, and a paWl in normalengagement with the ratchet-Wheel and adapted to disengage the same, forthe purposes set forth.

3. In a focal-plane shutter for cameras, in combination, aspring-roller, and a Windingroller, each having a curtain Wound thereon,the end portions of both curtains being approached, and saidWinding-roll having affixed thereto a combined ratchet-Wheel o andclutch member n, a two-part shaft in said Winding-roll, the one partbeing endWise mov able,but non-rotatable,relatively to the other,sheaves fast on the end portion of each said shaft parts, cords inWinding engagement with said sheaves and having running engage mentsWith the end portion of one curtain and attachments to the end portionof the other curtain, a clutch member secured on one of said shaft partsand movable endvvise therewith to engage and disengage the Winding-.roll clutch member, the knob@ on the end of one of the shaft parts, aspring for normally maintaining said shaft parts in their contractedrelations and a pawl normally in engagement With the Winding-rollratchet-Wheel and adapted to be temporarily disengaged therefrom, forthe purpose set forth.

Signed by me at Springfield, Massachusetts, in the presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

JULIUS D. GARFIELD.

Witnesses:

WM. S. BELLoWs, M. A. CAMPBELL.

